The stories behind the uniform

The war in Europe ran from Germany's invasion of Poland in September 1939 to V-E Day on May 8, 1945. American forces joined the fight on the ground in North Africa in late 1942, then pushed through Sicily and Italy before the largest amphibious invasion in history opened a second front in France.

• North Africa (1942–43): Operation Torch put American troops into combat against German and Italian forces for the first time in the European war.
• Italy (1943–45): A grinding campaign up the peninsula, through mountains, rivers, and fortified lines.
• D-Day, June 6, 1944: Allied forces landed on the Normandy beaches, code-named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword.
• Battle of the Bulge (Dec 1944–Jan 1945): Germany's last major offensive in the west, fought in the Ardennes in brutal winter conditions.
• V-E Day, May 8, 1945: Germany's surrender ended the war in Europe.

The Pacific war began for the United States with the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and ended with Japan's formal surrender aboard USS Missouri on September 2, 1945. It was a war of carriers, submarines, amphibious landings, and some of the toughest ground fighting of the entire conflict.

• Pearl Harbor (Dec 7, 1941): The surprise attack that brought the United States into the war.
• Midway (June 1942): A decisive U.S. Navy victory that sank four Japanese fleet carriers and shifted the balance in the Pacific.
• Guadalcanal (1942–43): The first major Allied land offensive against Japan, fought on land, at sea, and in the air.
• Iwo Jima (Feb–Mar 1945): Five weeks of fighting for a tiny volcanic island with airfields that mattered, supported by heavy naval gunfire.
• Okinawa (Apr–Jun 1945): The largest amphibious assault of the Pacific war and its bloodiest battle.
• V-J Day, Sept 2, 1945: The surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay formally ended World War II.

The Vietnam War was fought from 1955 to 1975 between communist North Vietnam and U.S.-backed South Vietnam. American involvement grew from advisors in the early years to hundreds of thousands of troops by the late 1960s, and the war left a deep mark on the country and on the men and women who served.

• Gulf of Tonkin (Aug 1964): Reported attacks on U.S. destroyers led Congress to pass the resolution that opened the way to a larger American role.
• Ground combat begins (1965): U.S. Marines came ashore at Da Nang in March, and troop levels climbed rapidly from there.
• Tet Offensive (Jan 1968): Coordinated attacks across South Vietnam turned public opinion at home, even though the offensive was a military setback for North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces.
• Paris Peace Accords (Jan 1973): The agreement set the terms for the withdrawal of U.S. forces, completed that March.
• Fall of Saigon (Apr 30, 1975): North Vietnamese forces took the South Vietnamese capital, ending the war.
• Remembrance: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., dedicated in 1982, carries the names of more than 58,000 Americans who died.

These limited-edition silhouettes are cut straight from structural steel salvaged from the USS Texas (BB-35) during her dry dock restoration. Each one is mounted on a wood base engraved with her WWII campaigns — North Africa, Normandy, Southern France, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa — and comes with a gold-seal Certificate of Authenticity from the Battleship Texas Foundation.

As a veteran, this isn't just a display piece. It's a tangible connection to the grit and sacrifice behind the uniform. The Mighty T is the only surviving dreadnought to fight in both World Wars, and she stood watch through some of humanity's hardest chapters. Having a piece of her hull on the shelf is a personal nod to that history, to the late watches, and to the bonds that only the people who served really understand.

Her WWII service ties both theaters on this page together: she supported the Normandy landings in Europe, then crossed the world to bombard Iwo Jima and Okinawa in the Pacific.